On September 7, CSI is Opening Its Doors – Centre for Social Innovation

It’s time. As of Tuesday, September 7, CSI is ready to open its doors to our community once more…. Whew, we’ve been waiting to say that. 

There’s excitement, anticipation, and a healthy dose of jitters contained in these words. Our team has been preparing all summer to safely welcome those who are ready back to our shared spaces. It’s what Shona, our Chief Community Officer, beautifully describes as “a slow and tentative return to joy.” So, what does that look like? We got you’ve covered down below and don’t forget to read our COVID safety policies here.

What You’ve Been Waiting For: Events, Rituals, and Renovations 

In some ways, September 7 marks a return to the familiar. You’ll recognize familiar faces underneath their masks as Matt, Stefan, Gonzalo, and the rest of the community team take care of all our members’ needs. In other ways, we are welcoming something new: an energy and alchemy we may not have the words for yet but that we’ll soon transcribe through the new rituals, solutions, and events we create together (all of which you’ll find posted on our events calendar and on the Common Platform!). 

Rebuilding is a collaborative process. In this spirit, Marcus, CSI Spadina’s Community Animator, is excited to host a community-building think tank every Wednesday in Spadina’s new outdoor coworking space. 

Taking advantage of the last of the summer heat, the building’s laneway has been transformed into a patio where members can work on projects and – starting Wednesday, September 8 – meet with Marcus to answer questions like, “How are we rebuilding the community together? What do you want to see in the space?” Historically, rituals like Bagel Bonding and Salad Club have never come from staff; they’ve always come from the community. Now is the time to decide what the next iteration of rituals will look like, together! 

Similarly, you’ll find our CSI Annex Community Animator, Tara, serving ice cream on Wednesday afternoons at Get The Scoop, a chance for members to reconnect on the Annex’s  brand new laneway patio. Inspired by the way people deepened their relationships on long walks in lockdown,Tara is excited to sit down with members in smaller, more intimate settings to discuss the future of their work.  

Our community also continues online through bi-weekly Lunch and Learns starting September 13. Join our Membership Animator, Andrea, and CSI Member, Laura Hanek of Swoop Media, to learn how graphic recording can improve the way you work. And rounding out the month, we’ll have a Community Toast on September 30, where we’ll raise a glass both in-person and online to the next chapter of building the Next Economy! 

What else? Well, you might notice we’ve added a splash of colour here and there (more on Spadina’s new mural next week) and after sixteen years, the Spadina Welcome Desk has finally made its way to the ground floor…makes sense, right? There you’ll also find a new lounge space beside our beautiful accessibility ramp, designed by McWood Studios. With the Welcome Desk taking its rightful home, the third floor now features more hot desk space and its own lounge area. 

More space is the talk of thetown as the team put a lot of effort into optimizing the way we move through the buildings. Tara refers to Annex’s redesign as a “de-densification of the hot desk and dedicated desk areas.” For those who’ve been with us for a while, you’ll be happy to hear we’ve completed a much anticipated renovation of the Annex’s third-floor kitchen! This community space got quite the upgrade with two fridges, two microwaves, extra member storage, and a more accessible design.

We can’t wait for you to see what we have in store. As we remain in a time of transition, we also find ourselves in a time of rich co-creation. We are excited to continue iterating, adapting, and collaborating alongside you. If you have any questions, ideas or feedback, don’t hesitate to reach out to a member of the community team. With that, see you soon!